Triple threat for world heavyweight title highlights Smackdown
The match that I incorrectly predicted would take place at the Extreme Rules pay-per-view a week from Sunday instead was shown on free TV Friday night on Smackdown. That works for me.
In a triple threat match for the world heavyweight title, Jack Swagger retained the championship against Edge and Chris Jericho. Although the finish was very predictable – Swagger stole the pin on Jericho after Edge was about to get the win – it was the right call and the match was good.
Swagger gained some more credibility by coming out on top in a match against two top stars and also laying out Edge after the match. While Edge was down, Jericho then savagely attacked his surgically-repaired ankle, which likely sets up a match between the two at Extreme Rules.
Other thoughts on Friday’s show:
Jericho seemed to be making perfect sense when he was complaining about Randy Orton getting a title shot against Swagger at the pay-per-view even though Orton is on the Raw roster. But further analysis of the world titles situation reveals that there is nothing logical about any of it. Swagger was a member of Raw when he cashed in his Money in the Bank contract on Jericho. Theoretically, Swagger should have brought the world title to Raw, but he jumped to Smackdown instead. Then there is Batista. He is a Smackdown guy, but he defeated Raw’s John Cena for the WWE title and then started appearing on Raw exclusively. Even after losing the title back to Cena, Batista has remained on Raw. And people wonder why no one takes the WWE Draft seriously. …
There was a time that I would consider reaching for the remote whenever The Miz appeared on television. Now, I can’t get enough of the guy. He was tremendously entertaining doing commentary on the six-man tag team match between The Straight Edge Society and The Hart Dynasty and Rey Mysterio. Miz was so great that I didn’t want the match to end just so I could continue listening to him putting himself over and cracking on Todd Grisham. …
One of Miz’s best lines occurred when he took credit for retiring Shawn Michaels, whom he pinned in a tag team match prior to WrestleMania XXVI: “I was the heart attack that put him in the hospital. The Undertaker just pulled the plug.” …
The six-man tag match, which was won by THD and Mysterio, was good and the finish was well-booked. David Hart Smith scored the winning pinfall on Punk after Mysterio set it up by hitting the 619. Smith and Tyson Kidd came out looking strong and Mysterio one-upped Punk with a week to go before their pay-per-view match. …
The Michelle McCool-Mickie James match – which McCool won with the aid of Layla’s distraction – was solid, which was not surprising considering that they are two of the better workers in the women’s division. It also helped that they were given more than two minutes for their match (it went nearly five minutes). …
I hope McCool appreciates just how much Layla has helped her get over. I thought McCool was mostly a bore on her own, but she and Layla as a team have good chemistry. Layla’s facial expressions and heel mannerisms are pretty entertaining. …
It looks as if Beth Phoenix is officially a full-fledged babyface. She saved James from a post-match attack and this time she actually helped her up and raised her hand rather than turning on her. …
Dolph Ziggler got an impressive victory over R-Truth. I hope WWE continues to push Ziggler. He has the in-ring talent and the look to be a star. The big thing holding him back is that he hasn’t shown that he can cut a main-event-level promo. His comical ring name probably isn’t doing him any favors either. Perhaps WWE will consider changing it ala Johnny Nitro becoming John Morrison. Ziggler’s real name is Nick Nemeth, which isn’t a bad wrestling name. …
I liked the backstage interaction between Jericho and Wade Barrett. As Jericho was bragging about how he was going to win the world title for the seventh time, Barrett said, "I am awed to be in your presence." Now there's a rookie who knows how to play the game. ...
What in the world was up with JTG’s hair?
Comments
Eck, you think there's a good chance that Orton will be drafted to Smackdown?
RESPONSE FROM KE: I wouldn't be surprised.
Posted by: Loco | April 17, 2010 4:00 PM
"I hope McCool appreciates just how much the Undertaker has helped her get over."
Fixed.
RESPONSE FROM KE: He didn't. She got a push but she wasn't over.
Posted by: DuBrow | April 17, 2010 4:41 PM
It has been announced that it will be Jericho vs. Edge in a cage match at Extreme Rules. I wonder how many people remember Dolph Ziggler's first gimmick? He debuted as Nick Nemeth, Kerwin White's (Chavo Guerrero) caddy. He has made a big change in gimmicks.
RESPONSE FROM KE: He also was a member of the Spirit Squad.
Posted by: paul | April 17, 2010 4:53 PM
Im sick of seeing CM punk lose and seeing as they wont let Rey Nysterio lose and join SES. CM Punk will lose again! ARGh!
Posted by: Matt | April 17, 2010 6:15 PM
Firstly, I have no idea what was up with JTG's hair, but he should definitely find a new barber. Secondly, i was wondering what you'd predict for the ShowMiz and THD angle? I reckon that they will get their title shot, if not at extreme rules then at the next PPV. But it's the outcome of that match that's got me thinking. I don't think it's time for ShowMiz to drop the titles yet, but i may be influenced by how awesome the Miz is (the pun was unintentional.... but i think i'm just gonna leave it there). At the same time, i think THD should be the pair to eventually take the titles off them, they've done a good job of establishing themselves, and it would be good for bringing back some credibility to the tag team division if a proper team (you know what i mean by that) were to win it. so, as i said earlier, how do you see the WWE creative team playing this one out Kev?
RESPONSE FROM KE: I wouldn't take the title off ShowMiz yet.
Posted by: Nick Jolley | April 17, 2010 6:43 PM
"I hope McCool appreciates just how much Layla has helped her get over. I thought McCool was mostly a bore on her own, but she and Layla as a team have good chemistry."
I think "Layla has tried to get her over" would be more accurate. The heat for the match last night was non-existent. Simply Flawless still has problems getting heat even with Vickie Guerrero's help.
WWE should consider dropping the women's division. It doesn't matter if it's a thrown together 2-minute match or a longer match with months worth of backstory behind it, the crowd treats the women's matches as intermission and are just dead when they are in the ring.
RESPONSE FROM KE: Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying McCool is setting the world on fire, but I think the Simply Flawless act is getting the crowd to react more to her than they did, and I think Layla has played a part in that (as has Guerrero).
Posted by: chris | April 17, 2010 10:30 PM
I agree with the booking of the Swagger match up also. However I do believe that the belt should have been put on Swagger when he was a little hotter. Bad part is that the WWE also missed the boat with Morrison, MVP, Kingston, Truth, Ziggler and Knox when they were at their hottest. Shame on the creative team.
Miz is rapidly becoming Jericho part II...and thats not a bad thing.
Wow! big suprise on the Ziggler/Truth match. Hope this is his defining momment concerning him being elavated.
Posted by: rob the barber | April 17, 2010 11:16 PM
hey kev you should report on the fact some wwe stars are still stuck in europe... meaning some smackdown stars wil have to do raws go home show
Posted by: delliott | April 18, 2010 4:45 AM
Matt, I'm sick of seeing punk lose period.
Posted by: rob the barber | April 18, 2010 7:47 AM
I wrote on the Raw thread how silly I thought it was the guest GM was able to book a match at a PPV involving the Smackdown title. Leave it to Jericho to be the one that points that out. Your analysis of the Raw/SD split, or lack thereof, is right on. They've been running commercials about how "the WWE as you know it will change", but who really believes that? At best, we'll get some fresh matchups and a solid push or two. I do suspect that Orton might go to Smackdown to be the top face there, as any face on Raw will be stuck behind Cena and HHH. Also, with Batista rumored to be taking time off and Orton a face now, I wouldn't be surprised to see Jericho jump back to Raw to work with Cena (though I'd really like to see Punk get that shot).
Posted by: Ken Raining | April 18, 2010 9:30 AM
Not only was the finish predictable, but it was almost exactly the same as the finish of a match last year between CM Punk, Jeff Hardy and Edge after Punk cashed in on Jeff. Hardy had hit Edge with a Swanton while Punk was outside the ring selling his knee. Punk pulled Hardy out of the ring, threw him into the steps as I recall, and pinned Edge for the win.
Even though they did the same thing two years in a row following the MITB winner cashing in and winning the title, the match on Friday was still a good one.
Posted by: Rob Brown | April 18, 2010 4:58 PM
Took me awhile, but it's that JTG took out his cornrows .... and then neglected to go to SportsClips. Lazy ... just lazy.
Posted by: Jericha | April 18, 2010 6:22 PM
"There was a time that I would consider reaching for the remote whenever The Miz appeared on television. Now, I can’t get enough of the guy."
In a few months you'll be saying the same thing about Bubba The Love Sponge.
RESPONSE FROM KE: Um, no.
Posted by: Oh it's true | April 19, 2010 10:33 AM
Can someone please find R-Truth a real finisher please?
Posted by: David | April 19, 2010 1:22 PM
I'm no expert on men's grooming habits. But what was up with CM Punk shaving only his abdomin area and not the chest? It just didn't look right. Kind of remind me of Steve Carrel from 40 yr old Virgin.
Posted by: Jamaka | April 19, 2010 3:21 PM
Would Swagger finally be recognised as a 'true' champ if beats Orton?
Posted by: KnoghtKIJ | April 20, 2010 11:05 AM